Book 8
by VerdiTheTRex
Summary: Sophie and her friends are scrambling more than ever. With another friend lost, they have to solve all of the problems the Neverseen have started without being distracted with the trolls' treason, a prisoner's lies and a whole other realm of matchmaking complications. *FLASHBACK SPOILERS*
1. Chapter 1

**SPOILER ALERT: DON'T READ UNLESS YOU READ FLASHBACK**

 **Chapter One**

SOPHIE'S HEAD WAS SPINNING. _Unmatchable, unmatchable, unmatchable._ That word kept itself on auto-repeat. _Unmatchable._ Now what was everyone going to think of her? The experiment whose DNA was inspired by Alicorns and was created by a rebel group, not knowing her biological parents and _unmatchable._

"Sophie?" The voice reminded her that she wasn't alone. "Are you okay?" Sophie looked up at Brisa and Juji, the matchmakers. It took Sophie a second to realize that a tear had fought its way out and rolled down her cheek.

"Yup, I'm fine," Sophie said, plastering a smile onto her face. She wouldn't embarrass herself in front of these people. But they already knew she was unmatchable, so it might not have mattered. "Are we done?"

Brisa and Juji both nodded in sync. "You can go to your parents now." Brisa told her. The word _parent_ triggered a new round of worries. Sophie didn't know her biological parents, so she was unmatchable. And if she ever wanted to be matchable, she needed to find out who her parents were. But how would that affect Grady and Edaline?

Brisa stood, opening the door and signaling Sophie to go first. The door closed behind her, and Brisa followed her down the crystal hallway. Sophie thought of the elves on the other side of the doors. Were some of them getting their first list? Were any of them thinking of what it would be like to be _unmatchable_? That it's even possible?

They made it to the reception room, which was as crowded as it was when Sophie entered. She soon spotted Grady and Edaline, and they made their way through the crowd of anxious elves. When they reached Sophie, they both strangled her into a crushing hug. Both had smiles on their faces, but they quickly fell when Brisa quietly told them the results. Sophie's parents nervously glanced at her, noticing her tear stain. They strangled her again, and Edaline gave her a sad smile. Edaline whispered something into her ear, but the loud thumping in Sophie's head drowned it out. "What was that?" She asked Edaline.

Edaline sighed. "I'll tell you later." She whispered.

Grady leaned over and said, "Wanna head home, kiddo?" Sophie nodded.

The three of them left the sparkling building. Sophie looked back as they entered the eurypterid carriage- a type of sea scorpion that the elves rode casually- and saw the intimidating crystal building fade away into the distance. Her head was still on auto-repeat. _Unmatchable, unmatchable, unmatchable._ And it was really getting unbearable.

When Sophie and her parents reached the exit of Atlantis, they exited the carriage as Grady tipped the driver with his green-cube-of-wealth and joined Sophie and Edaline at the bubbles. They entered one large bubble, rising up, up and away, until the bubble popped. Sophie grasped Edaline and Grady's hands, and Grady held up his home crystal, pulling them into the light. Maybe life wouldn't be so bad. She had a family that loved her, and she knew by the smile that Edaline gave her that they would stand by her no matter what.

 **(A/N) Well, the last time I had any activity was like 5 months ago, so like I don't know anybody or any of the stories, soooooo... yeah. I just read Flashback and I couldn't bear not having any more Keeper until next year, so I came on here. So yaaaaayyyy! This chapter was so uneventful, but I started writing the Tribunal for Luzia and Orem, but the story had left off at the matchmakers', so I wrote an entirely new one! So hopefully it'll get more exciting. And I also just wanted to get a story out, so it's super short. Byeeeee  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**(A/N) Helllllooooooo! So, when I published this story, I didn't have a title. What should it be? I was thinking of Heartbreak, but this isn't a romance, it's a Flashback follow-up. Ok!**

 **r r**

 **ProjectMoonlark101: Here it is!  
**

 **Guest: Yup! Sorry it took so long to update.**

 **Chapter Two**

"Hey, Foster. What'cha—whoa. Okay. What's wrong?" Keefe greeted Sophie in the rolling hills of Havenfield, picking up on her emotions immediately.

"How'd you—wait—why—never mind." Sophie stuttered. She glanced back at her parents, who shrugged and left Sophie and Keefe alone. "I—um, nothing really. Just, uh, going to Atlantis for... um... clothes?" Why did she have to be so bad at lying? And why did Keefe have to be an Empath?

He smirked. Yup, Empaths. "Okay. We both know that's a lie, and that I'm not gonna leave until you tell me what's wrong. What were you _really_ doing in Atlantis?"

"I, uh, went to—ugh. Do you have to know?"

Keefe nodded. "Of course! That way I can spread those great rumors about the Fitzphie!" He wiggled his eyebrows. But his teasing expression fell when he felt the hot waves of embarrassment and anxiety and whatever she was feeling. "Why'd you get so nervous? Does it have to do with the Fitzer?"

"I'll take that as a yes." Keefe said when Sophie didn't respond. "Did you see the matchmakers?"

"Well... yeah." She mumbled. There was no use in lying. Plus, she could feel her cheeks heating up, so even without his powers, Keefe could tell she did. But instead of the teasing she was expecting, Keefe lowered his voice.

"It's not a big deal y'know. Everyone goes to register for the match at some point. You don't even get your packet until Level 5!" Keefe told her. "You don't even have to pick up your packet until Level 6. Well, actually, that's just when you _can._ You can wait longer."

"No, it's not that." Sophie said.

"Then what is it?" Keefe asked.

She took a deep breath in, and slowly exhaled. _Just count to three, and get it over with._ She ordered herself mentally. _One, two, three._

"SowhentheyaskedmeallthesequestionsaboutmyfamilyandgeneticparentsIcouldn'tanswerthemsothescreenflashedredand—" Sophie gasped for air. Keefe gave her a _,_ _What the heck did you just say_ kind of look, so she sucked in another breath and continued slower. "Okay. So I couldn't answer all of their questions, and then the screen they were using turned red and it said, _Sophie Foster is unmatchable_. And I don't know what that means. Will I be a bad match with everyone?"

Keefe blinked. "Whoa. Alright. Back it up. That's a lot of information to take in all at once." He gulped. "I've never heard of someone being unmatchable."

Sophie sighed. "I guess I should ask Alden. He'll know." _And probably tell me that there's no reason to worry,_ Sophie thought.

"Do you want me to be there when you ask him?" Keefe asked. "This seems like someone should be with you."

She shook her head. "I think it'll be better if I'm alone." Keefe didn't look convinced, but he surprisingly didn't argue.

"It's gonna be alright, Foster." Was all he said as he leaped away. But was it going to be alright?

Sophie trudged into Havenfield, barely acknowledging her parents' sad smiles and reassuring words. They followed her to the foot of the steps. They seemed to understand that she wanted to be alone, so Grady patted her on the top of the head and Edaline gave her arm a little squeeze. "Go get some rest, kiddo." Her dad whispered into her ear.

She dragged her feet up the stairs and into her third-story bedroom. Her four bodyguards were waiting at the top. Bo, the ogre, stood with his arms crossed over his chest. Tarina, the troll, had her hands on her hips, glaring at Bo, and Sandor, the goblin, was also glaring at him. The only smiling one was Flori, the gnome, who rushed to meet Sophie. "They've been glaring daggers at each other for hours."

Sophie smiled. It was no surprise that Sandor wasn't happy. The ogres and goblins were enemies, after all. And it seems that Tarina had decided to side with Sandor.

"Alright, Grumps. We're supposed to be checking her room, not sniping." Flori clapped. She led them into Sophie's room do do their security sweep. After about five minutes, they were done inspecting every singly petal on her carpet and opening every drawer.

"All clear," Sandor announced. "We'll be right outside your door if you need any of us."

Sophie nodded and pushed past her towering wall of overprotective bodyguards. Iggy, her pet imp, fluttered onto her pillow as she crossed the room to her bed. She pulled her covers over her weary bones. Sophie didn't care what time it was, snapping to close the drapes and clapping her hands twice to turn the lights off. Even though she craved a warm shower and fuzzy pajamas, she pulled her Imparter, the elves' version of a video phone, out as she choked Ella, her bright blue stuffed elephant, in the other arm.

"Show me Alden Vacker." Sophie ordered the sleek silver gadget. Disappointingly, the Imparter flashed and read, _Out of range._ She sighed, placed her Imparter next to her head on her pillow, pulled her blankets higher and tried to sleep. Eventually she felt herself drifting off to sleep.

Sophie knew there would be nightmares. But these weren't the same.

 **(A/N) Yay! That was fun! It took like an hour to write! Thanks for reading. These chapters have been so hard to make. And they're really short, as this one was barely a thousand words, even with two author's notes, but I hope you enjoyed. Bye! See you next time!**


	3. Chapter 3

**r.r**

 **Guest: Yeah, I was going to make the nightmares something of that sense, but I won't spoil it ;P Oh, and your reviews weren't showing up because I had moderate guest reviews on, and I wasn't approving them because I forgot I had it on. So I turned it off. Now your reviews should go through immediately!  
**

 **Guest: Thanks!  
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 **Ummimaguest (guest): Aww, thanks! Yeah, I couldn't wait either, so...  
**

 **ProjectMoonlark101: Yeah. It was sad, but like I'm a hardcore Sophitz shipper... but I'm including the other ships, because even though they're dating sorta, it's not official (I think..).  
**

 **Charlette O. CATS KOTLC: Hi! Thank you!  
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 **(A/N) Thanks for reviewing guys! I wasn't sure if the unnamed guests were the same person, so I responded to both. And sorry guests, your reviews hadn't been approved so I didn't respond quickly (one was on November 20th or something). Alrighty!**

 **Chapter Three**

 _Unmatchable._ Sophie was tumbling through a twisting void of black nothingness. Falling down, down, down, down, until a blinding flash of white light seared her eyes. Suddenly, she was back in Atlantis staring up at the towering Matchmaking building. The strands of DNA twisted into the letter "M," the Matchmakers' symbol. The shadows in the corners and crevices morphed into wispy silhouettes of people. Hisses and whispers snaked through the tense air

Sophie took a step back. The outlines of elves pressed in closer as the force field fighting back the ocean began to compress. The shadowy people changed into tangible purple spears, stabbing and prodding her face. _Unmatchable!_ The shadowflux seemed to scream. _No one wants you, freak!_

Sophie broke through the madness, fighting her way back to the Matchmaking building. But the closer she got, the farther away it became. When Sophie chased it out of view, a new building took its place as she caught up. _Foxfire._ A crowd of prodigies flowed out of the entrance to the shimmering glass pyramid.

 _There she is!_

 _The unmatchable one!_

 _Get out of here, weirdo!_

 _Bad match!_

The last words came with an image of Fitz and Sophie, holding hands, walking through a city with no capes or Nobility. Even then, they were recognized. Snipes and glares followed them wherever they went.

Sophie turned around and sprinted as fast as she could. Away from the whispers, the rumors, the gossip. Then she was sitting up in her bed, gasping and panting for air. _It was just a dream._ She told herself. _Don't let it get to you._

But it was easier said than done. She stayed in bed, hugging Ella, sweat staining her sheets. Eventually she couldn't take it anymore. Sophie reached out with her mind until she found the familiar thoughts of Fitz.

 _Fitz?_ She transmitted. _Are you awake?_

 _I am now,_ his crisp accented voice told her. _What's up?_

Sophie suddenly felt guilty for waking him up. What was she thinking? _Um, nothing,_ she transmitted. _Go back to sleep._

But Fitz refused. _You're really going to wake me up in the middle of the night and not tell me what's going on?_

Sophie sighed. _It's complicated._

 _I have time,_ Fitz said.

So she told him all about it: The matchmakers, Keefe, finding out her genetic parents' identities, how it will affect Grady and Edaline, and the nightmares.

 _Wow..._ Fitz said. _I don't know how you handle all of this without..._

He didn't finish the sentence, but Sophie's mind immediately flashed to the days of Alden's break. Fitz was so heartbroken, he took out all of his anger on everyone else, especially Sophie. They were past that, but it still haunted her.

 _Sometimes it's hard,_ She admitted _._ _Sometimes I feel like I'm not strong enough._

 _Well, I know you are._ The words had a strange hint of warmth. Sophie's heart fluttered as she imagined him saying those words to her in person. Like when he said, "I want it to be you," in the reception hall of Everglen.

Clearing those thoughts out of her head, she transmitted, _Well, you should get some sleep._

 _So should you,_ He replied. _See you tomorrow?_

 _Okay._

All of a sudden, after that talk, Sophie could sleep. Right before slumber whisked her away, she heard Fitz's voice transmit, _Good night, Soph._

 **(A/N) Yay! I hope you guys liked this chapter! It was short again, but I don't think that'll ever change. Well, bye!**


	4. Chapter 4

**r.r**

 **CoCo: Hi! Here you go!**

 **GogleBerry: Thank you sooo much! You haven't read Flashback? You're okay with the spoilers, right? Anyways, thanks!  
**

 **Guest: Thanks! Yup, I needed an 8th book.  
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 **Guest: Don't worry, I'm still writing ;) By the way, are you the same guest from the previous review? I thought you were, but I wasn't sure so I wrote two responses.  
**

 **(A/N) Okay, I need to say THANKS for all of you guys who are reading this story and for reviewing. THANK YOU! Now, to the story!**

 **Chapter Four  
**

"You're going to be late to school, Sophie!" Edaline called up the stairs, jolting Sophie out of her dreams. She could barely remember them, but she was pretty sure that they consisted of something teal and a pair of eyes. "And you have someone waiting for you!"

Sophie's mind drifted to Fitz again, but her thoughts were interrupted by a voice saying, "Hey, Foster—wow, that's some serious bed head. But we'll fix you up." She sat up and turned to the doorway to find none other than Keefe. He was looking especially handsome with his tucked in tunic and half cape. It was unusual to see Keefe without wrinkles in his clothes and without an untucked jerkin. He looked like when he went shopping with his mom.

"Um, hey Keefe." Sophie mumbled. Keefe frowned, like he could read her emotions. Well, he could, and that was the problem. His Empath senses were probably picking up the dangerous mood swings she was having at the moment.

"Are you feeling alright, Foster?" Keefe crossed the room and plopped onto her bed. He put one of his hands on her forehead like he was checking for a fever. "We don't need you to send you to Elwin already, do we?"

"No! I mean, no, I just woke up." Sophie quickly told him. Even though Elwin, the elvin physician, was super nice and funny, she still couldn't get rid of those nightmares of her hospital visits with humans. Those beeping machines, syringes, tubes connecting to her body... she shivered thinking about it. Those experiences made her always nervous for doctor visits.

"No need to get all fidgety and nervous on me. I was just teasing!" Keefe said. "Though that freak out was noted. Now I know how to—"

"Please, Keefe. It's kind of hard, having spent twelve years with humans." Sophie said. "Why are you here, anyways?"

"Just making sure you have a buddy to go to Foxfire with." Keefe elbowed her, basically begging her to be less serious.

"Please?" She begged.

Now it was Keefe fidgeting with the ends of his waist-length white cape. "I was at Everglen last night before you talked to Fitz. We were having an aurenflare, and the last one we had was with you, and it reminded me of you. So I asked Alden about an elf being unmatchable, and he said that he'll get back to me after he did some research. And he just hailed me before I came here." He took a breath, like he was preparing himself to break bad news. "He had to dig pretty deep, but Alden said there was one elf that he found, buried under all of the Matchmaking files."

"Who was it?" Sophie pushed when he didn't continue. She had no idea who it could be. She probably didn't even know them, but it was intriguing either way.

Keefe kept staring at his feet. When he still didn't answer, Sophie scooted closer. She rested her hand on his shoulder and said softly, "Whoever it is, it doesn't change anything, if that's what you're worrying about."

He responded softly. "Yes, Sophie, it does. She's not as crazy as we thought. She has a reason. And he's going to be gone soon."

"Who? Who's not crazy? Who has a reason?" He was scaring her. And Keefe didn't answer her _again._

After what felt like an eternity, he finally whispered, "It was Vespera. And she was almost killed. That's why she was erased. After years, the Council decided it wasn't safe having her around. So they tried to kill her. They had no reason. But it's still a Forgotten Secret. It was illegal to investigate. And that's why they're banishing Alden."

 **(A/N) Oooh, a plot twist! I missed these when I was gone. I needed something big to leave off on, so... that happened. And sorry for another short chapter! This was a pretty long time in between updates too, so sorry about that as well. Quick question, is there any other ships anybody wants other than Sophitz and Sokeefe that include Sophie? If not, it'll be a mainly Sokeefe and Sohpitz clash. Okeeeeeeee, byeeeeeee!**


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